City of Shoreline Stream and Wetland Inventory and Assessment Appendices

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

City of Shoreline Stream and Wetland Inventory and Assessment Appendices City of Shoreline Stream and Wetland Inventory and Assessment Appendices May 2004 Tetra Tech/KCM, Inc. 1917 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101-1027 Stream and Wetland Inventory and Assessment Appendices May 2004 Prepared for: City of Shoreline Shoreline, WA Prepared by: Tetra Tech/KCM, Inc. 1917 First Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101-1027 (206) 443-5300 Project #3320005 Stream and Wetland Inventory and Assessment Appendices TABLE OF CONTENTS Title . Appendices A. Stream Inventory and Assessment B. Wetland Inventory and Classification C. Fish Utilization in City of Shoreline Streams D. Public Involvement E. Birds of Shoreview Park F. Hydraulic Project Approval – Stormwater Maintenance G. ESA Species List Confirmation H. Restoration Standard Details I. Washington State Species of Concern J. Washington State Priority Habitats and Species i APPENDIX A. STREAM INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT City of Shoreline Stream Inventory and Assessment May 2004 Tetra Tech/KCM, Inc. 1917 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101-1027 City of Shoreline Stream Inventory and Assessment May 2004 Prepared for: City of Shoreline Shoreline, WA Prepared by: Tetra Tech/KCM, Inc. 1917 First Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101-1027 (206) 443-5300 Project #2090051 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents..........................................................................i List of Tables ..............................................................................iii List of Figures.............................................................................iii 1. Introduction .........................................................................1 2. Methodology..........................................................................2 Tri-Country Urban Baseline Evaluation Method ................................... 2 Phase I .......................................................................................... 2 Phase II .......................................................................................... 5 Methods............................................................................................... 5 Phase I .......................................................................................... 5 Phase II .......................................................................................... 6 Fish Passage Barriers ..................................................................... 6 3. Results .................................................................................7 Phase I ................................................................................................ 7 Phase II ............................................................................................... 7 USBEM Findings and Recommendations............................................ 18 4. Water Course Reach Descriptions ........................................19 Boeing Creek Basin............................................................................ 19 Reach BC1.................................................................................... 19 Reach BC1A.................................................................................. 19 Reach BC2.................................................................................... 20 Reach BC3.................................................................................... 20 Reach BC4.................................................................................... 20 Reach BC5.................................................................................... 20 Reach BC6.................................................................................... 21 Reach BC7.................................................................................... 21 Reach BC8.................................................................................... 22 Reach BC9.................................................................................... 22 Reach BC10.................................................................................. 22 Reaches BC11 and BC12 .............................................................. 23 Thornton Creek Basin ........................................................................ 23 Reach TC1 .................................................................................... 23 Reach TC2 .................................................................................... 23 Reach TC3 .................................................................................... 23 Reach TC4 .................................................................................... 24 Reach TC5 .................................................................................... 24 Reach TC6 .................................................................................... 24 Reach TC7 .................................................................................... 24 Reach TC8 .................................................................................... 25 Reach TC9 .................................................................................... 25 i City of Shoreline Stream Inventory and Assessment… Reach TC10 .................................................................................. 26 Reach TC11 .................................................................................. 26 Reach TC12 .................................................................................. 26 Reach TC13 .................................................................................. 26 Reach TC14 .................................................................................. 26 Reach TC15 .................................................................................. 27 Reach TC16 .................................................................................. 27 Reach TC17 .................................................................................. 27 Reach TC18 .................................................................................. 28 Reach TC19 .................................................................................. 28 Reach TC20 .................................................................................. 28 Reach TC21 .................................................................................. 28 Middle Puget Sound Basins................................................................ 28 Highland Creek............................................................................. 28 Innis Arden South Creek............................................................... 29 Innis Arden North Creek ............................................................... 30 Storm Creek ................................................................................. 31 Upper Puget Sound South Creek................................................... 33 Upper Puget Sound North Creek ................................................... 34 McAleer and Lyon Creek Basins ......................................................... 35 McAleer Creek............................................................................... 35 McAleer Tributaries....................................................................... 36 Echo Lake Creek........................................................................... 38 Ballinger Creek ............................................................................. 39 5. Discussion and Summary.....................................................41 References .................................................................................43 ii …TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES 1. Phase I Data........................................................................................ 8 2. Phase II Data..................................................................................... 11 3. Fish Passage Barriers within City of Shoreline Drainages. .................. 14 4. Data Summary for Benthic Invertebrate Sampling.............................. 16 5. Number of Individuals and Percent of Total Benthic Invertebrate Taxa.17 LIST OF FIGURES 1. Stream Reaches, Wetlands and Fish Passage Barriers— Boeing Creek Basin ..................................................................... after 1 2. Stream Reaches, Wetlands and Fish Passage Barriers— Thornton Creek and West Lake Washington Basins ..................... after 1 3. Stream Reaches, Wetlands and Fish Passage Barriers— Middle Puget Sound, Bitter Lake and Seattle Golf Course Basins . after 1 4. Stream Reaches, Wetlands and Fish Passage Barriers— McAleer and Lyon Creek Basins................................................... after 1 5. Phase I Decision Box. .......................................................................... 4 6. Potential Recovery Options for City of Shoreline Streams.................... 18 iii 1. INTRODUCTION The City of Shoreline has undertaken an effort to characterize the streams within its jurisdiction. Tetra Tech/KCM was contracted to conduct a stream inventory and assessment of streams within the City limits and covering the nine drainage basins: • Boeing Creek Basin • Thornton Creek Basin • McAleer Creek Basin • Lyon Creek Basin • Middle Puget Sound Basin North • Middle Puget Sound Basin South • Bitter Lake Basin • West Lake Washington Basin • Seattle Golf Course Basin. The inventory and assessment were conducted to provide information for four basin characteristic reports. Basins, which are combined into a single basin characterization report because of their small size within the City boundaries, include (a) Bitter Lake
Recommended publications
  • Hunter Farm Gathering Place Project Moving Towards Late August Build
    Wedgwood Echo 1 VOLUME 26, ISSUE IV JULY 2011 Hunter Farm Gathering Place Project Moving Towards Late August Build As many are aware, the Wedgwood Community Council (WCC) has received a grant, through the Pomegranate Center and Tully‘s Coffee, to work with the Hunter Family (of Hunter Tree Farms) to develop a 'gathering place' on their property. The project, which has been coined ―Hunter-Gatherers‖ by the Pome- granate Center, is on a tight timeline, and is moving full steam ahead. On June 11th, nearly 90 people packed the Fellowship Hall of Messiah Luther Church for the project‘s kick-off public meeting. The day started with a 2 hour brainstorm session (plus Tully‘s Coffee), which led into a 4 hour conceptual design devel- opment session (plus more Tully‘s Coffee), before concluding with an hour long open house to present the concept designs over more Tully‘s Coffee. This was a long but energizing day as nearly 30 people stayed all 7 hours to creatively work together under the watchful eye of the Pomegranate Center to direct participants and keep things moving forward. Some of the shared design principles that came out of the meeting were: Beautify the existing structures on site, due to the budget of the project and permitting complications. Use the frontage along 35th Ave NE to create a courtyard of sorts for people to gather. (Continued on page 7) Pandora’s Adult Cabaret Coming to Wedgwood? In May, the City approved a permit for a new adult cabaret to replace the Seven Seas restaurant along Lake City Way, in northwest Wedgwood.
    [Show full text]
  • Thornton Creek Watershed
    Thornton Creek Watershed The Thornton Creek Watershed carries stormwater from over 11.6 miles of North Seattle and Shoreline. The creek’s main channels extend more than 15 miles and run through over 700 backyards. The creek has historically been home to five different species of salmon as well as coyotes, river otters, beavers, and birds such as eagles, owls, and herons. The creek also provides habitat for many smaller creatures like amphibians, reptiles, and insects. Olympic Hills Cedar Park Northgate Hazel Wolf John Rogers Olympic View Sacajawea Licton Springs Wedgewood Cascadia Thornton Creek Water Thornton Creek Decatur Quality Channel Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet Place Histories: ThorntonHistories: Creek Water Quality Channel & Northeast SeattleThe area along Thornton Creek has been stewarded since time immemorial by the Duwamish and other Puget Sound Salish peoples. At one point, the location of the Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel was known as “Bald Head” by the Duwamish Tribe, describing the bowl-shaped marshy swale that once filled the area around Northgate Mall and North Seattle College. Bald Head was a place to collect resources such as highbush cranberries and marsh tea indicating a much different, more effective water drainage system than seen today. As the city grew, residents began to build homes and farms in the Northgate area. Over time much of Thornton Creek and its tributaries were diverted into pipes. Northgate Mall was built in 1950 and the south fork of Thornton Creek was diverted into a 5 foot wide pipe buried 20 feet below a parking lot. In 2003, a group of diverse stakeholders (such as community, environmental, and business advocates) developed a plan to meet the needs of the growing community.
    [Show full text]
  • Matthews Beach Restoration Project Proposal
    Matthews Beach Restoration Project Proposal Compiled by Rebecca Deehr, Derek Beauchemin, Liz Thorsenson, J. Katie Barndt, Jennifer Habetler, Doug Schmitt, Nathan Sakes, Lena Jones, and Suzy Karl EHUF 480, Landscape Plant Selection and Management University of Washington Autumn 2001 Page 1 INTRODUCTION A successful restoration project requires balancing the needs of the group responsible for the restoration with those of the general public. At the Matthews Beach restoration site, the public is composed of several different groups including homeowners in the surrounding area and other visitors who may come from farther away to access the park. To address the concerns of all parties, we determined the following goals: · Provide or improve wildlife habitat and use native plants per the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation’s Urban Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan · Preserve the basic functionality of the restoration site (i.e., keep the overall design, with its previous goals intact) · Increase the functionality of the stream as a salmon nursery · Provide access to the waterfront for the public · Take the restoration project to “the next level” by dealing with problems that have arisen, and providing a long-term maintenance plan · Provide education about restoration, native plants, fish & wildlife habitat and ecosystem health · Preserve views where possible To achieve these goals we concentrated on six areas. Our focus for this project has been primarily on the areas west of the small creek and main pond. The remainder of the site has more mature vegetation, and the only recommendation we are making at this time is the removal of invasive plants.
    [Show full text]
  • Thornton Creek Restoration: Baseline Project Effectiveness Monitoring, 2012-2013
    Thornton Creek Restoration: Baseline Project Effectiveness Monitoring, 2012-2013 Sarah A. Morley, Jason E. Hall, Josh Chamberlin, and Karrie M. Hanson Technical report by Watershed Program, Fish Ecology Division Northwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration 2725 Montlake Boulevard East Seattle WA 98112 for Seattle Public Utilities Department City of Seattle 700 5th Avenue, Suite 4900 Seattle WA 98104 Agreement No. DA2012-23 June 2013 ii Executive Summary Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is preparing to construct two urban floodplain reconnection projects in the Thornton Creek watershed of northeast Seattle in 2014. To evaluate project performance, the utility contracted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to collect pre-project physical and biological baseline data from 2005 to 2009. In 2012, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was brought in by SPU to collect additional biological baseline data and to develop a post-project monitoring plan that includes evaluation of new hyporheic design elements. Data collection by NOAA has been identical to previous USFWS monitoring for periphyton, benthic invertebrates, and fish density. Sampling in 2012 differed from earlier years by focusing less on physical habitat, expanding upon fish-movement surveys, and adding collection of invertebrate drift and fish diet samples. This report summarizes data collected by NOAA during 2012-2013 and provides updates on existing pre-project monitoring results collected by USFWS from 2006 to 2009. The overall biological health of Thornton Creek is poor: scores for the benthic index of biotic integrity (B-IBI) range from poor to very poor and diatom assemblages are composed of a relatively high proportion of species tolerant of nutrient enrichment.
    [Show full text]
  • An Investigation of the Potential for Side Sewer Infiltration to Local Freshwater Systems
    An Investigation of the Potential for Side Sewer Infiltration to Local Freshwater Systems Thornton Creek, Seattle WA: A Case Study Angelique B. Hockett A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Urban Planning University of Washington 2016 Committee: Marina Alberti Jan Whittington Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Urban Design and Planning © Copyright 2016 Angelique B. Hockett ii University of Washington Abstract An Investigation of the Potential for Side Sewer Infiltration to Local Freshwater Systems Thornton Creek, Seattle WA: A Case Study Angelique B. Hockett Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Marina Alberti As the wastewater infrastructure throughout our urbanized land continues to age, pipe failures leading to sanitary backups and contamination of the surrounding areas will become more frequent. Most private side sewers throughout the United States have life expectancies of less than 100 years and are swiftly reaching the end of their design life. It is necessary for municipalities to understand the scope of potential private side sewer failure that may be occurring now or in the near future within their jurisdiction in order to properly plan prevention and mitigation. This research explores Thornton Creek, a stream system located in the northeastern corner of Seattle, Washington that has been impacted by fecal contamination. The City of Seattle has yet to identify the primary source of this pollution, but it is hypothesized that it may be partially caused by failing side sewer systems throughout the watershed. In Seattle side sewers are privately owned, hindering the city’s ability to collect adequate information about their conditions.
    [Show full text]
  • Housing Choice Voucher Program
    Housing Choice Voucher Program Seattle Neighborhood Guide 190 Queen Anne Ave N Seattle, WA 98109 206.239.1728 1.800.833.6388 (TDD) www.seattlehousing.org Table of Contents Introduction Introduction ..……………………………………………………. 1 Seattle is made up of many neighborhoods that offer a variety Icon Key & Walk, Bike and Transit Score Key .……. 1 of features and characteristics. The Housing Choice Voucher Crime Rating ……………………………………………………… 1 Program’s goal is to offer you and your family the choice to Seattle Map ………………………………………………………. 2 move into a neighborhood that will provide opportunities for Broadview/Bitter Lake/Northgate/Lake City …….. 3 stability and self-sufficiency. This voucher can open the door Ballard/Greenwood ………………………………………….. 5 for you to move into a neighborhood that you may not have Fremont/Wallingford/Green Lake …………………….. 6 been able to afford before. Ravenna/University District ………………………………. 7 Magnolia/Interbay/Queen Anne ………………………. 9 The Seattle Neighborhood Guide provides information and South Lake Union/Eastlake/Montlake …………….… 10 guidance to families that are interested in moving to a Capitol Hill/First Hill ………………………………………….. 11 neighborhood that may offer a broader selection of schools Central District/Yesler Terrace/Int’l District ………. 12 and more opportunities for employment. Within the Madison Valley/Madrona/Leschi ……………………... 13 Neighborhood Guide, you will find information about schools, Belltown/Downtown/Pioneer Square ………………. 14 parks, libraries, transportation and community services. Mount Baker/Columbia City/Seward Park ………… 15 While the guide provides great information, it is not Industrial District/Georgetown/Beacon Hill ……… 16 exhaustive. Learn more about your potential neighborhood Rainier Beach/Rainier Valley …………………………….. 17 by visiting the area and researching online. Delridge/South Park/West Seattle .…………………… 19 Community Resources ……………….…………………….
    [Show full text]
  • A Case Study of Thornton Creek in Seattle, Washington Lisa A
    Claremont Colleges Scholarship @ Claremont Scripps Senior Theses Scripps Student Scholarship 2014 Connecting Urban Residents to Their aW tershed with Green Stormwater Infrastructure: A case study of Thornton Creek in Seattle, Washington Lisa A. Beem Scripps College Recommended Citation Beem, Lisa A., "Connecting Urban Residents to Their aW tershed with Green Stormwater Infrastructure: A case study of Thornton Creek in Seattle, Washington" (2014). Scripps Senior Theses. Paper 339. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/339 This Open Access Senior Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Scripps Student Scholarship at Scholarship @ Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in Scripps Senior Theses by an authorized administrator of Scholarship @ Claremont. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Connecting Urban Residents to Their Watershed with Green Stormwater Infrastructure: A case study of Thornton Creek in Seattle, Washington Lisa Beem In partial fulfillment of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Analysis, 2013-14 academic year, Pomona College, Claremont, California Readers: Dr. Bowman Cutter Dr. Latika Chaudhary TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements 1 Terms and Definitions 2 Prologue 3 Thornton Creek Watershed Maps 5 Chapter 1: Introduction 7 Chapter 2: Urbanized Watersheds 11 Watershed Impairment and Urban Land Use Green Infrastructure, Mimicking Natural Flows Landscapes and Infrastructure: Integrating nature into city life Eyes on the Urban Creek: Increasing public investment
    [Show full text]
  • Wetland & Habitat.Indd
    Highland Park - Seattle yg Cloverdale Watershed: Westcrest Park West Seattle Reservoir History & t s White 1 Hydrology h t 5 3 D y e Center l n r i d lso g O e y Park Roxhill Playground amm m History of changes in H m a H e D watershed and current Roxbury watershed boundaries n h t w 7 o 1 White Center Pond Natural Area n Unk Ham m W h i te White Center Pond Natural Area C e n te r M White Center Pond Natural Area y North Shorewood Park e r s ace in White Center White Center Park White Center Heights Park White Center Heights Park ghts Park The Green/Duwamish River Lakewood Park Lake Garrett Watershed History Seola Park th 6 1 Evergreen Athletic Field h c 1851 - European settlement begins in the Duwamish River. a e B a l 1880-1910 - Logging occurs across much of the watershed and in o e S the lower river valley; agricultural land use expands. Salmon Creek Park Shorewood Park t s 1911 - White River is diverted from Green River to Puyallup River 1 for fl ood control, reducing watershed area by 30 percent. Salmon Creek Waterway Southern ek re 1916 - Black and Cedar Rivers are diverted from Duwamish C on lm Sa Arbor Lake River to Lake Washington to improve navigation, further reducing Arbor Lake Park m u a Wetlands & b watershed area by 40 percent from its original size. Salmon Creek Ravine m A Creating Community Open Sp 1900-1940 - Duwamish estuary tidelands are fi lled, drained and Puget Sound Puget Sound Park Habitats Hazel Valley Park dredged to support growing industrial and port activities.
    [Show full text]
  • Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel
    Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel FINAL REPORT October 28, 2009 Prepared for: Prepared by: 1205 Second Avenue, Suite 200 Seattle, WA 98101 Acknowledgements The successful design and construction of the Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel is a result of the inspiration and hard work of many people over several years. The contributions of the following organizations and individuals are acknowledged and appreciated: Seattle Public Utilities Seattle Department of Planning and Nancy Ahern Development Cynthia Blazina Lyle Bicknell Karen Brooke Andy Higgins Carrie Jones John Shaw Tom Fawthrop Mark Troxel Paul Ford Teri Hallauer Seattle City Attorney’s Office Susan Harper Rodney Eng Patrick Hastings Deb Heiden Seattle Department of Executive Darla Inglis Administration Merry Lee Sheila Barker Masako Lo Linneth-Riley Hall Gary Lockwood Mark Wheeler Charlie Madden Miles Mayhew Seattle Mayor’s Office Miranda Maupin Michelle Chen Beth Miller Kris Effertz Ingrid Wertz Paul Fischburg Phil Yamamoto Jackie Kirn Tony Vo Seattle Department of Transportation Washington Department of Ecology Connie Zimmerman Joan Nolan Prime Consultant Team Washington Department of Fish and SvR Design Company Wildlife Associated Earth Sciences Inc. Ginger Holser HDR, Inc. King County Resource Consultants Mike O'Neil Gaynor Inc. Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc. Contractor Walsh Construction Inc. Cerna Landscape Inc. Gary Merlino Construction Co. This report is available on the City of Seattle web site (http://www.seattle.gov and search for “Thornton Creek Water
    [Show full text]
  • 20-Year Plan Was Inspired by Over 10 Years and More Than 500,000 Hours of Citizen Volunteerism Dedicated Tto Reforestation of Seattle’S Parks
    he Green Seattle Partnership 20-Year Plan was inspired by over 10 years and more than 500,000 hours of citizen volunteerism dedicated Tto reforestation of Seattle’s Parks. The Green Seattle Partnership gratefully acknowledges these contributions, which have paved the way for a refined understanding of our approach to the important task of restoring forested parklands. We also appreciate the time and dedication staff and community leaders, particularly among our Executive Council, have dedicated to creating this plan. A large credit goes to the generous donation of the citywide forest inventory created by the Seattle Urban Nature Project, the foundation for the analysis here. Green Seattle Partnership Executive Council Joan Enticknap, Home Street Bank Joan Gray, Cascade Land Conservancy Jim Greenfield, Cascade Land Conservancy Bill Lewis, Lease Crutcher Lewis Sheila Wyckoff Dickey, Community Leader Nancy Ahern, Seattle Public Utilities Ken Bounds, Seattle Parks and Recreation Gene Duvernoy, Cascade Land Conservancy Steve Nicholas, Office of Sustainability and the Environment Green Seattle Partnership Editor Photographs 20-Year Plan Work Group Eva Weaver, Weaver Associates Cascade Land Conservancy Pieter Bohen, Cascade Land Conservancy EarthCorps Mark Mead, Seattle Parks and Recreation Graphic Design Seattle Parks and Recreation Tracy Morgenstern, Seattle Office of Sustainability and the Environment Jon Hegstrom Graphic Design Seattle Public Utilities Duane Penttila, Seattle Parks and Recreation Woody Wilkinson, Seattle Parks and Recreation Additional Contributors For more information about Chris Woelfel, Seattle Public Utilities Kim Drury this document, please contact: Katie Moller Cascade Land Conservancy Data Analysis Joanna Nelson (206) 292-5907 Robin MacEwan Bob Spencer www.cascadeland.org Peter Noonan Alison VanGorp www.greenseattle.org Ken Yocom Seattle Parks and Recreation (206) 684-4113 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .
    [Show full text]
  • Offering Memorandum
    Offering Memorandum PINEHURST DEVELOPMENT SITE 11552 15th Ave NE Seattle, WA Exclusively offered by Paragon Real Estate Advisors 15TH AVE NE PINEHURST DEVELOPMENT SITE PINEHURST WAY NE A Newly Discovered Neighborhood of Proximity NE 117TH ST 600 University Street | Suite 2018 | Seattle, WA 98101 1 P 206.623.8880 | E [email protected] | ParagonREA.com Offering Summary Paragon Real Estate Advisors is pleased to offer for sale the Pinehurst Development Site. This 16,259 square foot site zoned NC2-40 is located in the Pinehurst neighborhood of Northgate which is on the cusp of experiencing an urban renaissance. With the explosion of high paying jobs and increasing housing costs in Seattle, Pinehurst provides affordable housing for both home ownership and rental housing within minutes of the downtown core. Developers and investors alike have recently discovered Pinehurst and are able to build and provide affordable housing which benefits from the close proximity to downtown, the future light rail services and neighborhood amenities. The Pinehurst Site can accommodate the development of a 50 – 60 Unit Mixed-Use Building or 16 Townhomes with 8 units offering accessory dwelling units and 22 parking spaces. Name Pinehurst Development Site Address 11552 15th Ave NE Seattle WA 98125 Parcel Number 679810-0765 Lot Size 16,259 Square Feet Zoning NC2-40 PINEHURST Price $2,600,000 DEVELOPMENT SITE Price Per Foot $159.91 Built 1945 Existing Use 5,656 Square Foot Service Building Development Potential 50 - 60 Unit Mixed Use Building or 16 Townhouse Units
    [Show full text]
  • Beaver, a Natural Solution to Urban Stream Restoration
    Beaver, A Natural Solution to Urban Stream Restoration Krueger, Kelsey 11-15-2019 Abstract Water quality is imperative to sustained human health. Human existence, although reliant on unimpaired water, has largely altered watersheds with urbanization and has negatively impacted water quality. In response to our adverse effect on water and surrounding ecosystems, humans have attempted ecosystem restoration with the goal of establishing sustainable environments that support human, flora, and fauna life. Many studies within scientific literature present the importance of stream restoration or rehabilitation that is not so narrowly focused on human engineering solutions but that also incorporates ecological components. Ecological components include the living organisms within the ecosystem and if managed appropriately these organisms can be a catalyst for restoration. One such organism that can create positive change is beaver. The role of beaver within the context of stream restoration or wetland creation is discussed briefly throughout scientific literature, but a case for the use of beaver within an urban setting is not well documented. With a firm scientific understanding of the positive impact beaver activity has on watersheds, creating complex, bio-diverse fluvial ecosystems, we should begin to consider the implications of introducing beaver to urban stream systems as a viable "engineering" restoration solution. Introduction Water is necessary to support all life on earth, moving nutrients through air and soil, fueling bodily functions, and providing a resource necessary for flora and fauna functions. Unimpaired, healthy water systems are necessary to support these life-giving functions. Scientific and public interest in water quality was born of concern for drinking water quality and water- borne pathogens such as cholera (Scholz, 2016).
    [Show full text]